Report: 5 Clean Projects Driving Down Operational Costs in North America

Industrial decarbonization is happening across the world, even in the US. Credit: Patrick Hendry

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Insider Brief:

  • Heavy industry can often be hard-to-abate when it comes to climate emissions, but there are several companies in this sector which have made improvements.
  • Reuters Events have collected 5 success stories from this sector, now available in a downloadable white paper.
  • Climate Insider will be a media partner for Reuters Events’ Future of Heavy Industries USA 2025 in Pittsburgh this September.

Operating clean projects not only lowers carbon emissions but can also drive down operational costs, according to a new white paper from Reuters Events.

In its report, Reuters Events highlights five North American projects that are paving the way for large-scale decarbonization, in sectors that are often challenging to decarbonize. The white paper has been released ahead of Reuters Events’ Future of Heavy Industries USA 2025 event in Pittsburgh, for which Climate Insider is a media partner. The conference will be held September 16 and 17 in Pittsburgh.

The projects mentioned in the report include:

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Newmont’s electrification of mining equipment

The mining sector has been trying to eliminate emissions from vehicles for several years, and Newmont has opted for electrification of its equipment to cut emissions at its sites.

The Denver-based company signed an agreement with original equipment manufacturer Caterpillar in 2021 that would provide Newmont with 26 battery electric autonomous vehicles for both its underground and its pit operations, all delivered by 2027.

The vehicles will help Newmont cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 30% by 2030. Newmont is aiming to attain net-zero emissions by 2050.

Newmont estimates that vehicle emissions at mine sites account for 40% of the company’s carbon emissions. The autonomous, battery power vehicles will also substantially cut costs on diesel gas as well as vehicle maintenance.

1PointFive Bluebonnet Sequestration Hub

In the petrochemicals sector, 1PointFive – owned by Occidental Petroleum, also referred to as Oxy – is taking steps to transform carbon into something that can be recycled and reused.

1PointFive is expanding development on a hub in the southeast part of Texas that will see emissions from industrial partners be transformed into feedstocks for several sectors, including fuels and plastics.

In October 2024, Enterprise Product Partners announced it would construct a network for carbon transportation around the Houston Ship Channel. This transportation network would connect 1PointFive’s facility to third parties located in the region.

The existence of this network would ease logistical issues in transporting the carbon, while also lowering prices to ship the carbon to 1PointFive’s facility.

Smith-Midland’s Naval Sea Systems Command Contract

Concrete is another hard-to-abate industry, but many sectoral leaders have been working to create innovative new approaches and cut down production emissions. Such is the case for Virginia-based Smith-Midland, a precast concrete specialist.

Smith-Midland is implementing energy-efficiency measures at a center for refueling and complex overhaul, currently under construction for the Naval Sea Systems Command.

The center is a multi-use building, with spaces reserved for office use, fitness, and counseling. Smith-Midland has applied its proprietary SlenderWall system for all the building’s interior framing, insulation and vapor barriers – all contained in a single lightweight panel. The SlenderWall system is also compliant with thermal and fire code regulations.

The full report can be found here.

Reuters Events will share more case studies of how heavy industrial companies are pursuing decarbonization initiatives at their conference in September. Some 250 leaders in the mining and metals, steel, cement, chemicals, finance, policy and technology sectors will be in attendance.

Jax Jacobsen

Jax is a longtime science journalist covering mining, energy, geosciences, and international affairs. She is currently Editorial Director at Climate Insider, and has previously worked as Deputy Editor at Mining Magazine, Paris Bureau Chief at Mergermarket, and Senior Reporter at S&P Global. She's been published in Reuters, The New Statesman, The Guardian, The Montreal Gazette, CNN, The Ecologist, and other publications (including Mining Magazine, Mining Journal, The Northern Miner). She's worked as a journalist in the US, UK, France, and Canada.

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